GOP Primary Ballot Update

Courtesy of Dave Talan and the R.I. Republicans, here is an update sent out yesterday on the effort to get all of the Republican Presidential candidates on to the April 24 primary ballot...

As of this afternoon, 16 of the 32 Signature Parties have taken place, and we have gathered at least 480 signatures for each of the 5 Presidential candidates. The snowstorm on Saturday probably cost us about 200 from the events that day. (The total # of signatures does not include any obtained by the 45 volunteers who are getting them in their community, independent of the signature parties.). So we need to keep pushing to get all our GOP candidates on the Primary ballot...

We have just 2 weeks to get 1,000 valid signatures for these candidates, from January 19 to February 2. (This is down from the 5 weeks we had previously, in warmer weather). Also, in normal states, signatures are turned in to one central location. In R.I., signatures must be turned in to the City or Town Hall where the signer resides. (So, for instance, if you are a Providence voter, and sign a paper that is turned in to Pawtucket, your signature would be disqualified.). This makes it impractical to gather signatures at shopping centers or at athletic events, where people come from numerous different communities.

And remember: although 1,000 signatures is the official number, each candidate wants to be well over that total, in case a significant percentage are challenged, illegible, etc.

Below the fold is the list of remaining signature parties.

Thursday January 26 - NEWPORT - 3:00 to 6:00 P.M.
inside the Stop & Shop, 250 Bellevue Ave. (was postponed, due to snow, last Saturday)

Thursday January 26 - PORTSMOUTH - 6:30 P.M.
at the Valley Inn, 2221 West Main Rd.

Thursday January 26 - WESTERLY - 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.
at Dylan's Restaurant, 2 Canal St.

Friday January 27 - WEST WARWICK and COVENTRY - 7:00 to 9:00 P.M.
at Picard's Ice Cream & Coffee, 10 Brookside Ave. (corner Washington St.) in West Warwick

Friday January 27 - MIDDLETOWN - 4:00 to 7:00 P.M.
at Courtyard By Marriott, 9 Commerce Drive (off Rt. 114 - West Main Rd.).
PORTSMOUTH and NEWPORT voters also invited, if they are unable to go to their own Town's event the day before.

Saturday January 28 - NORTH PROVIDENCE breakfast - 8:00 to 11:00 A.M.
at Lymansville Memorial VFW Post 10011, 354 Fruit Hill Ave.
North Providence will also take signatures at their monthly meeting on Tuesday January 31,
at 7:00 P.M. at the Union Free Library, 1810 Mineral Spring Ave.

Saturday January 28 - JAMESTOWN - 9:00 A.M. until at least noon
at 2 locations: Conanicut Marine's retail store, 20 Narragansett Ave.; and McQuade's Market, 6 Clarke St.

Saturday January 28 - CRANSTON - 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
at the home of Chuck Nevola, 45 Shirley Blvd.
(located off Pontiac Ave., a few blocks south of Park Ave.)

Saturday January 28 - BRISTOL - 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.
at Rogers Free Library, 525 Hope St.

Saturday January 28 - WOONSOCKET - 9:00 to 11:00 A.M.
at Harris Library, 303 Clinton St.

Saturday January 28 - BURRILLVILLE - 10:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.
at Natural Resource Services (office of Scott Rabideau) in Harrisville, adjacent to the Jesse Smith Library at 180 Tinkham Lane

Monday January 30 - CRANSTON - 6:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.
at Oaklawn Grange, 42 Wheelock Ave.
(located off Wilbur Ave., near Oaklawn Ave.)

Tuesday January 31 - JOHNSTON - 6:30 P.M. to until the crowd dies down
at the home of George & Kathy Resnick, 10 Paradise Lane

Tuesday January 31 - EAST PROVIDENCE Florida Primary straw poll - 7:00 to 10:00 P.M.
at Santa Maria Cultural Center, 846 Broadway.
Neighboring communities also invited (Pawtucket, Providence, Barrington).

Wednesday February 1 - TIVERTON - 4:00 to 7:00 P.M.
at the clubhouse of Villages on Mount Hope Bay, 120 Schooner Drive